Enrique Lamadrid Oral History Interview

 

The Rudolfo Anaya Digital Archive is an online portal dedicated to the life and work of Rudolfo Anaya, a prolific writer, a pivotal figure in Chicano and American literature, an advocate for multicultural literacy and education, and a generous community activist in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The oral history component of the portal is designed to offer scholars and fans an enhanced understanding of Anaya’s biography, highlighting his contributions to the fields of literature, Chicana/o studies, and Southwest studies. The interviews present expert evaluations of Anaya’s work and its significance, as well as first-hand accounts of encounters and collaborations with the renowned author.

Interview #4: Enrique Lamadrid (Ph.D. University of Southern California) is a Professor of Spanish and former director of Chicano Hispano Mexicano Studies at the University of New Mexico. His teaching and research interests include Southwest Hispanic and Latin American folklore and folk music, Chicano literature, and literary recovery projects. He has done fieldwork with students all over New Mexico, as well as in Mexico, Spain, Colombia, and Ecuador. He is active in international education and is co-founder and director of UNM's CONEXIONES Program. Professor Lamadrid has served as a field worker and presenter for the Smithsonian Institution's Festivals of American Folk Life, and has done extensive work for the Museum of New Mexico and National Hispanic Cultural Center. As an academic curator, he has worked on numerous exhibits with his students and headed the design team for the Camino Real International Heritage Center. Interview by Sophie Ell.